Construction toy



A. C. GILBERT CONSTRUCTION TOY Aug. 13, 1929.

riginal Filed March 29, 1923 2 Sheets-*Sheet g- 13, 1929- A. c. GILBERT 1,724,470

CONSTRUCTION TOY Original Filed March 29, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

g UNITE D l I sTATss ,P ATENiT OFFICE.-

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smear, or nears, na'vmr, connncrrcur, assrenon 'ro mm: a c. GILBERT mm, or NEW Haven, connncrrcun- 1 oousrnucrron -ror.

Application filed Hatch 29, 1923;8erial no. 628,657. seamed February 1a, 1929.

This invention relates to construction toys, and more particularly to toys which may be fabricated or "built up from. 'a number of structural units or elements, which are 'standardized to such an extent that they maybe a sembled in various ways to build a great varietyof difi'erent toys. The particular invention described and claimedn this application pertains securing certaino these structural elements together sothat they areefiectively andsecurely held in the proper relation to. each other, and, at thesametime, may be easily taken apart or disissembled'so that the 'ele ments may be used to construct toys of other forms. g

One object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective means for securin t0.-

gether, two elements "extending at rightzo an les to each other.-

Knother object of the invention is to provide means for securing together two elements extendingat right angles to each other, such-that only one bolt or securing member need be used, the members bein re tained inproper relation to each other y a' clamping action of the parts. n

A still further object of my invention is .provide a novelform of connector for secur-' 3 mg two elements together, which connector..

isextremely simplein constructlon and economical to make, and, at the same time, is eificien't in operation and may be easily applied and secured in lace.

' A stillfurther obg cct of the invention is to provide an extremal simple and effective means by which 'an ongated construction element may be secured in upstanding posiof parts to be hereinafter described and construction embodying my invention; the

particular model selected for illustration bemg a flat car of track;

-,5 -Fig. 2 top plan view of the parts shownin-Fig. 1

' d elevational view Fig. 1

view on line '1-4 o Fig. .3 is m Fig. d is asectional Fig. 2;

e'cially to the means forthrough which a set screw wmgs k the construction of Fig. .1 is a side elevationalview of a toymounted upon a short section Fig. 5 is a top plan view of av section of track of modified construction;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the parts shown 1 a further modification;

1 Fig. 8 is an end-view of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the I connectors or look members shown. The particular model which I have selected to illustrate and describe in order to show a preferred embodiment of my inan integral side fian 'e 13 extending along one side thereof. Att eopposite side,asim1- lar flange 14 may be provided by means of an'elongated element secured to the body member 12 by angle plates 15. Theflat plate or bod member $12, as well as the flange 13 an the elongated member 14, is provided with rows.of alternately arranged perforations 16 and slots 17; but, while the .plate 12'-is provided with a number of such rows, I prefer to provide only one row-of slots and perforations in the elongated mem- I bers and 1n the side flange. Through oppositely disposed perforations 16 in the 'flange 13 and member 14, a shaft or ax'le 18Jmay be passed, and wheels 19 moimted-on the proecting ends of these axles. The wheels 19 may be formed with integral hubs .20,

to secure this in place. o

It is usual, in assembling sets of construction elements-of the kind herein described, to provide a .number of units similar to the 21maybepassed elongated member 14, which units may be alike in width and cross-section, and. also alike in being provided with the alternate perforations 16 and slots 17, but which may vary in length. :It isghof course, desirable in ments of the same size as regards width and cross-section, and to have the perforations fierent models to use elements of various lengths, and it has been found quite advantageous to have theseelei and slots of the same size and similarly spaoed'in all. Moreover it will, of course,

be found useful if the slots 17 are of such length that the elon' ted members may be inserted thereirl' T 's is the caseinfthe I *elements'illustrated in this,apphcat1on." I

Adjacent each of the four corners of the body plate 12,'.I mount in an upstanding position a relatively short element 22 by inserting the lower end. thereof through one of the slots 17, and securing it in upstanding position by means of an angle clip 23. This angle plate, which may be like the element 15, is L-shaped in section, and may to the body member, and, and thus secure the parts rigidly in position.

The upper ends of the upstanding posts or elements 22 may betied together in pairs by means of passing another elongated element 22 through the slots in the two upright members. To secure this horizontally disposed element in position, I prefer to use a special form of connector or fastening device, shown at 28 in Fig. 9. This connector consists of a flat body portion 29 having a perforation 30'therein, and provided at one end with a U-shaped'or clip portion 31 to embrace or. fit over the edge of any of the various elements which. contain the slots 17. This connector may be applied in various ways, but, in order to secure the horizontal unit 22 to the upstanding posts, I prefer, as

shown in Figs. 1 to 3, to slip the U-shaped portion'of the connector over the edge of the 11 standing post 22, and to secure it by means of a bolt or the like .32, inserted through the perforation 30 and through one of the slots 17 in the horizontal member 22. It will be apparent that after the bolt 32 has been tightened into place, the connector '28 cannot be removed frm the upstanding post, bait the part of this post between the perforation throu h which the horizontal unit extends and the edge of the post will be securely clamped between the U-shaped portion of the connector and the horizontal member 22.

In order to build a track from the construction elements which I have described, it is obvious that it is necessary not onl to secure the members formin the trac rails at right angles to those forming the ties, but itis also necessary to secure the rails so thattheir edges restlupon' the flat sides of the ties. By means of the connectors 28, such an arrangement may be advanta eousl'y provided in a number of ways. shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, I may place the elongated elements 33- with their edges disposed upon the upper flat sides of the elongated members 34, which serveas the cross ties. It will, of course, be understood that themembers 33 and 34 are of exactly the same construction as the members 14: and 22, except, perhaps, that uses will, of course; sugg they may vary in length when desired. With the members 33 dis osed, as described, upon the upper s'ide'of tlie membe'r 34, the connector 29 may be applied with its U-shaped portion-placed within one of" the 7 slots 17, sothat thisportion embraces that part of the element 33 between the slot and the lower edge' of the element. The flat. body portion 29 of the connector28 may be arranged to 'projecteither inwardly or out- 7 wardly from the rail nnembers 33, but, asshown in Fig. ,4,they project inwardly and 7 bolts 35 are passed through the perforations I 30 and through slots 17,111- thel cro'ss ties3'4i It will be apparent thatthis isan'extrem'ely'. so simple and convenient way to 'connect the rails to the'cross ties, and, that by the'ap-Q plication of but one boltl35, theconnectorff members may besecured in'pla'ce and will clamp the rail members. 33- between their U-shaped portions landthe cross'ties 34;. In Figs. 5 and 6, Ihave shown a;modi- T fied form of track construction, wherein the g j'. cross ties 34 are passed througli the slots 17 in therails33 and the conneewr; members are so placed that their- U shaped'portions will embrace'the lower edges, of the rails} This is a reversalbf'the" arrangement-if shown in Figs. 1 to 4, wherein'theconnectors'are f tend outwardly from the rails,'the bolts 35,-

in this instant being-passed" through erforations 16 iii the crossl It and 8 of the drawings, thatsuch a construction results in a track of narrower gauge than those previously described;

It will, of course, be understood that'my n improved connector members '28 may be used in other relations' andto'connect dif-- ferent units together for various purposesf l. have not deemed it necessary nor expedient to 'f illustrate all of'the' combinationsbr the relax-1 tions in which 'it may be used, but other themselves to those skilled'in theart. While I have shown and described some preferred embodiments of my invention,=it

will be understood that the sanie' is not to be limited thereto in all of its detail b z 1 capable of application in othercombinations i and use in relations other than'the particular ones shown herein, without departing from no apparent from an examination ofFigs: 6

V ments disposed at right angles to each other,

with the end of one element passing through a perforation in the second element, and

means to connect said elements together, comprising a connector secured upon the surface of one of said elements and arranged to clamp the other element thereagainst.

2. A toy track structure, comprising a pair of longitudinally extending fiat strip members in parallel relation, disposed vertically upon their respective longitudinal edges, each of said strip members having an elongated opening, the openings therein being in opposed relation, a flat tie member extending through the opening in each of said strips, disposed horizontally with re.- speet to said strip members and transversely thereof, and means to secure said tie member to said strip members.

3. In a fabricated toy of the class described, a pair of members of like width and cross section, each of said members having a series of openings therein extending longitudinally thereof, alternate opening in the series being elongated longitudinally and of sufficient elongation to allow the passage of one of the members therethrough, and means securable'to one of said members and adapted to embrace a part of the other of said members when one is within one of the elongated opening in the other whereby said members will be disposed at right angles one to the other with one of said members extending through the other and'secured'thereto interpiediate its ends in any one of a number of positions.

4. In a fabricated toy of the class described, a plate-like member provided with a plurality of parallel series of longitudinally extending openings, alternate openings of each series being longitudimrlly elongated, a strip member of such width as to be capable of being passed through said elongated openings, said strip member extending through one of said openings in one of the series, said strip member having a series of longitudinally extending openings therein, and means adapted to be engaged with each of said members to retain said strip member vertically disposed to said plate member.

5. In combination, two fiat strip-like members, one of said members passing through an elongated opening in the other, and .a connector secured upon the surface of the member having the opening and engaging an edge of the other member to clamp the member passing through the opening to the other member against-the side edge of the openin In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 27th day of March, 1923.

ALFRED C. GILBERT. 

